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Columnists

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Is Phase Two Of Trump‘s Peace Plan In The Gaza Strip Doomed To Fail? – Part I

Phase one of Trump‘s twenty-point peace plan in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 9, called for a ceasefire, cessation of military operations, along with a hostage and prisoner...

FRED FIRST: Approaching the Longest Night

Yes, you’re right—if you’ve even noticed—that this space has been neglected for some weeks now,...

A Life Well-Lived: Shirley Padgett Lester (1947-2025)

Shirley Padgett Lester of Vinton went to her heavenly reward October 4. Below is the...

BOB BROWN: How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden “Presidency”

Permit me to think out loud as an old-fashioned person who respects authority, history, and...

JOHNNY ROBINSON: The Gratitude Perch

On the old road up Mill Mountain, part of Roanoke’s fabulous greenway system, there’s a...

The “Chreaster” Christian by Stuart Revercomb

Recently, I asked a friend of my daughters what church she went to and received the following reply: "We go to 'So and...

Recipe of the Week: Basil and Tomato Baked Eggs

When I think of what to prepare for Easter breakfast or lunch or dinner I obviously feel the desire for the meals to...

Job Hunting / Body Re-Building Not for The Faint of Heart

by Jon Kaufman Available immediately; one highly motivated, salesperson/writer, familiar with the Roanoke market and recently released into the wild.  Hardworking and brimming with...

My Big College Miracle

by Mary Jo Shannon Homecoming at Mary Baldwin College was last weekend. The campus has expanded since my college days, but the hills are...

Government Makes Good on A Very Old Promise

by Mike Keeler It involves a small tract of land, set amid rolling foothills, adjacent to a world-famous tourist destination. For many years...

Terrible Twos or Feisty Fourteens?

by Keith McCurdy “Just what is the big deal with the terrible twos?” a mom recently asked.  She had been talking with other mothers...